Collapsible mop head



July 4, 1933- J. GLOVER COLLAPSIBLE MOP HEAD 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9, 1931 July 4, 1933. J. @LOVER COLLAPSIBLE MOP HEAD Filed Feb. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-511691l 2 www 57 ZM? v fl July 4, 1933. J. GLOVER COLLAPSIBLE MOP HEAD Filed Feb. 9, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jimbo/z f: @7o/zzz @Zover CLM of the mop is adapted to Patented July 4,y 1933i f ,UNITE sares PairlszlvrA o Joran stoven, on

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS oonnarslnnn Mor nnen Application filed February The'present invention relates to dust mops and the like and has to do particularly with a convenient means for. joining a mop of such character to a holder or spreader or head therefor.

At present, some dust mops comprise a device adapted to'be securedupon a holder by yfrictional engagement. To the holder, generally a handle is attached. The holding devices on the mops generally comprise two layersof material adapted to form a pocket, one of which layers is slit for the purpose of receiving the holder. Such holding part allow the freedom of the mop from the holder when it is desired to separate thernop head and handle from the mop, the mate-rial of the slitted layer of the pocket being manipulated to eXtricate the spreader'from the pocket. f y

From the lower surface or lower layer of the 'pocket ofthe mop, the thrums depend. They may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, as 'by stitching. o 1

To facilitate the readyfuse of avv mop of the character herein` described, one of the two layers of material and preferably the layer free from thrums is slit to permit of the admission of the, holder. The present invention has been devised to facilitate the attachment of head and mop and to make more secure the joinder therebetween. lt has been most diflicult heretofore to insert a mop head within a slit in a pocket and at the same time have, after the insertion of thek head ywithin the slit of `the pocket, a secure and satisfactory joinder between the head and the mop.

This has been due in part to the fact that it isy necessary in the heretofore advocated structures to have a slit vin the pocket of such length that the mutilated upper layer of material does not, with the lower portion of material, provide for suiiciently lirm frictional engagement between the two layers of material and the hea-d.`

The present invention overcomes this situation and permits of the use of a mop head larger in size than one which could be employed if the head of the mop were not collapsible as in the present structure.

The objects of the invention, therefore, include amongothers, the following A new and improved mop head which is adapted Vto be expanded or contracted, and

5 capable .of collapse for the purpose of inserting it freely into afpoclet in a mop or for 9, 1931. Serial No. 514,434.

of removing' it therefrom. l/Vhen spread, the mop is spread for the purpose of securing a flat layer or base from which the swathes depend.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and unique structure for a mop head facilitating its attachment to a mop, the novelties-in connection with suchinop head including the details of its structure, the simplicity of its construction, and the utility which it possesses.

A further object kof the invention is to provide a new and unique combination of a mop having a pocket with a reduced size of slit therein and the purpose the head is tate the attachment of the mop to such spreading head, the spreader being secured to a mop handle to facilitate manipulation of the mop.

These objects and such other objects as may iereinafter appear, are obtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement, and improved combination of the elements illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which three forms of the invention are disclosed. a

.In lthe drawings z- Figure l is a plan view of one form of the mop, portions being broken away to show the structure of the mop head;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the mop head;

Figure 3 is an end view showing the manner of inserting the holder int-o a mop;

Figure e. is a view like Figure l of a secondform of the invention; y

Figure 5 is'a'transversesectionof the device shown in Figure 4l;

. Figure 6 is a. side view illustrative of the manner of attaching' the mop to the head;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a third form of the invention with portions of the mop brokenaway to show the head; y

\ Figure 8 isa sectionaldetail of the back of the head shown in Figure 7;

Figure y9 is a similar detail of the front of said head; and Figure l0 is a View to illustrate the process of attaching the mop to a head. l

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawings and in the description of the .invention which follows.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3 will be adapted for initial description.v ln'such form of the invention,

a collapsible or expandible mop head for spreading said pocket to faciliv I at the front end.

as in all other' forms of the invention illustrated, the mop includes a pocket which is made of suitable material and which comprises a lower layer 10 and an upper layer 11. The upper layer is slit as is shown at 12 and the outer edge of both layers are secured to thrums 13 which depend from the lower` layer 10. Suitable binding 14 may be supplied about the edges of the slit. The slit 12 is intended to receive a mop head and to permit of the withdrawal thereof from the pocl'et formed between layers 10 and 11. The slit 12 in the present device may be relatively small compared with the total area of layer 11.

A head which comprises primarily two members is used. One of these members 2U has a side 21, a rear section 22 at an acute angle thereto, and a short curved section 23 at the front thereof. The end of the rear section 22 has a lug 24 or it is bent over or otherwise formed to provide a stop the utility of which will be later discussed.. Adj acent the lugr 24 the material of the rear section 22 is ribbed as shown at 25.

Said head also includes a second member 30, the ends of which are generally disposed within the ends of the first mei ber 20. Said member 30 comprises long side 31.,V a short front end 32, and a long rear end 33 parallel to the rear end 22 of member 20. Said rear end 33 terminates in an inwardly directed section 34 cur-ved at 35 to provide a seat 36 for a mop handle holder member.

A notch 37 is cut in said member 30 for the purpose of receiving the lug 24 of member 20. Said notch 37 and lug 24 are a part of locking means between members 2O and 30. At the front end the members 20 and 30 are apertured and a rivet 38 or other suitable member permitting of relative movement between the members 20 and 30 is inserted therethrough to hold said members together At the rear a bolt 39 is inserted through apertures in said `members 20 and 3() to provide a second pivot. The bolt 39 through said apertures is provided with a suitable washer 40 and a wing nut 41, the wing nut 41 generally being disposed within the frame or spreader which is formed of the members 2O and 30.

In addition to the lug 24 and notch 37, heretofore referred to, the member 30 is provided with a longitudinal groove 42 which is adaptedto seat the rib 25 in the member 2O when said members 20 and 3() are in horizontal alignment and are drawn together by wing nut 41 on bolt 39.

Said members 20 and 30, when the wing nut 41 is loose on bolt 39 are adapted to be manually forced out of alignment and to be bent into an inverted V position, such as is shown in Figure 3. In such position, the head is adapted to be readily inserted into the slit 12 in the pocket of layers 10 and 11. After insertion, it is spread out in a plane with members 2O and 30 in alignment to cause the mop insofar as layers 10 and 11 are concerned to assume a flat plane surface.

1When this has been done, the locking parts upon said two members 2O and 30 are adapted to cooperate, the lug 24 to rest in groove 37 and the rib 25 to rest in groove 42. rI`he wing nut 41 may then be tightened upon bolt 39 whereupon the mop is held in a spread condition to the extent of the area of the spreader members 20 and 30.

Any suitable means may be used for the purpose of securing a socket for a mop handle upon the spreader members. In the present instance, the extreme inward end of the member 30 is provided with an aperture 50 and a plurality of opposed lugs 51 thereon. A socket 52 is formed of a sheet of metal which is bent about said end, said bent portion 53 having aperture 54 therethrough. Through the aperture 54 in said socketA and in said end member, a suitable bolt 55 is inserted so that relative movement can be had between the end of the member 30 and the socket 52. Lugs 56 are provided upon the abutting portion ofthe socket head which lugs 5G coact with the lugs 51 upon the spreader member 30 to secure the socket 52 in any selected angular' position in respect to the mop, such angular position being readily changed by the use of suiicient force between mop and a handle. The remainder of the sockt 52 is bent to have a section 57 of a shape to surround the end of a mop handle (not shown), the edges of the material of the socket terminating in flanges 58 through which a bolt 59`having a wing nut 60 is adapted to be inserted.

A handle is adapted to be inserted into the socket 52 and be secured therein by the tightening of the wing nut GO which causes the material of the socket 52 to closely engage the mop handle end. Projections 61 upon the lmaterial of the socket 52 may be arranged upon the inside thereof to bite into the material of the wooden handle, and an aperture 62 may be provided in said socket 52 for the purpose of inserting a screw or nail therethrough to make more firm the attachment of the mop handle to the socket. i The rounded front end of the head facilitates its ready insertion into a mop pocket, and the slit 12 provides ready access to the wing nut 41 so that the head may be locked in position or released from such locked position with convenience. The socket 52, being secured to one of the spreader members (30) facilitates the relative movement of such member 3() with the other spreader. member 20.

A second form of the invention is shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. In such form of the invention, one spreader comprises a U- shaped member which provides the front end of the/device. It has a rounded front terminating in short'straight sides 71 and 72 said two sidesbeing parallel and there being an aperture thro-ugh each. Upon side member 71 there is a groove 73 and on side member 72 there is a. lug 74.

The second spreader member 75 is a W- shaped member. Through the outer legs 76 and 77 of the W, there is an aperture registering with the apertures in member and through the registering apertures in side 71 and the complemental leg 76 of member 75 there is a bolt 78 with a spring washer 79 and a wing nut 80, the latter being-within the area of the spreader element. At the other side, side 72 and leg 77, there is a rivet- 81 which is the aXis of relative movement between the two spreader members 70 and 75. In the leg 77, a slot 82 is out in its material to receive the lug 74 of side 72 while in leg 76 atthe other side, there is a lug 83 extend# ing longitudinally of the leg 76 to engage, when the spreader is in a plane, the groove 73in the side 71 of the U-shaped member 7 0.

The internal legs 84 and 85 of the W-shaped spreader are adapted to provide therebetween space for the attachment of a socket 86 similar to that described in the previous form of the device. Said socket 86 instead of engaging lthe outside of a leg of material is disposed between the two legs 84 and 85 of thaw-shaped member 7 5.; There is inserted through said legs 84 and 85 and through said `socket 86 a rivet 87 permitting of relative movement of the socket 86 to the W-sliaped member 75 to obtain a satisfactory and selected angular adjustment of a mop handle to the mop. f

lVhen a spreader of a type just described is employed, the mop 88 comprises a pocket having a sheet of material 89 upon which is superimposed a second sheet 90 of material, the latter being slit transversely at 91 instead of longitudinally. Suitable stitching 92 is arranged to hold the two sheets 89 and 90 together to provide ai pocket and the edges of the slit 91 may be treated so that the material of sheet 90 will not readily ravel.

To insert the spreader, the wing nut is loosened and the two spreader members 70 and 75 are brought into acute angular relation whereupon the end of the Ueshaped member 70 is inserted toward the front of the mop and the ends of the W-shaped member 75 toward the rear of the mop. By manipulating the handle of the mop or by using' the hands upon the spreaders 70 and 7 5 and mop 88, the head is forced into a flat plane whereupon the lug 74 on one spreader engages the slot 82 in the other and the groove 73 in one member is lled by the longitudinal rib or lug 83 upon the opposed member. l/Vhen in this that it will hold the spreader members 70 and position the wing nut 80 is tightened so 75 against collapse. The operations are reversed to remove the spreader from the mop.

a springwasher 105 is inserted. Said bolt 104 terminates in a wing nut 106. The insertion of said bolt through the U-sha'ped members 100 and 101 provides a pivot foi` the movement thereof and means for securing them in aligned position in a mop pocket.

At the other side, said member 100 has an aperture therethrough, and `through said aperture and the complemental aperture in the U-shaped member 101a rivet 107 is inserted, which rivet provides the second pivot for the movement of the U-shaped members 100 and 101.

In said member 100 and beyond the aperture for said rivet, is a lug 109 which is adapted to engage the slot 103 upon the opposing member 101. Adjacent said `lugthe material of member 100turns sharply inwardly to the center of the spreader, and terminates in a section 110 to which is secured a handle socket 111 of exactly the same construction as the socket described in relation to the lirst form of the invention. I

In said member 100 adjacent thebolt 104 and wing nut 106, there is provided a seat 112 to receive the lug 102 which may be of a ball type. The lug 109 when it attains slot 103 arrests movement of members 100 and 101 beyond 180 degrees and at the time of such enga-gement the ball 102 rests in seat 112 to provide a snap fastening preliminary to firmer attachment by tightening of wing nut 106 on bolt 104. When the wing nut 106 is removed or is loosened, the two members 100 and 101 may be moved relatively but when the wing nut is tight, it brings intimate contact between the ball 102 and the seat 112 that collapse of the spreader members is prevented.

Vhile three forms of the invention are disclosed it is conceivable that the invention may take other forms. The details of the invention may be varied materially without departing from the spirit of the invention. For the making of the spreader members, a strip of steel of approximately one half inch width has been found highly satisfactory but other materials could, of lcourse, be substituted therefor. The spreader material preferably is spring like in character.

The manually operated locking means for the spreader members is alwaysdisposed so that it may be readily reached through the slit in the mop pocket. l'n the last form of the invention disclosed, (Figures 7, S, 9 and 10) the shape of the pocket is elongated and it comprises a lower sheet of material 115, and an upper section of material 116 having a slit 117 therethrough, the slit 117 being parallel to the mop handle. Such slot 117 is slightly V shaped and means for preventing the ravelling of the material are generally employed. The upper layer 116 and lower layer 115 are securedtogether in any suitable fashion and the thrums 118 are secured in the customary manner to the lower and integral sheet of material 115.

In place of a mop head with the two layered structure having a narrow slit in the upper layer, a mop head having a main layer surrounded by a narrow inwardly directed strip may be employed in the devices shown, such narrow inwardly directed strip stretching over the periphery of the holder to secure the mop head securely upon such holder.

Provision may be made at the end of the mop head, either end, whereby a limited amount of play or resiliency may be had to permit of the insertion of the mop head into the mop more readily in its spread condition or in a collapsed condition. For example, the type of mop shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 may be provided with a slotted front end in respect to each member of the frame so that these might be compressed one toward the other to reduce the circumferential extent of the mop head facilitating attachment of the mop head to a mop.

I claim:

1. In combination, a mop head comprising two strap members having straight and bent sections, said members having such bent portions to provide the extremities of a frame defining a selected shape for the periphery of a mop and being pivoted one to the other beyond their bent frame forming portions, said bent sections being arcuately movable about such pivot to an extended single flat plane in one position and to a narrow V-sliaped device in another position, and a mop for use therewith comprising a sheet of flexible material substantially coextensive with the area of the plane of said head when in extended position, a second sheet of the same area as the lirst and attached to said rst mentioned sheet and having a centrally disposed slot not extending entirely across said sheet to form an opening to receive said head when folded into a V-shaped position, and thrums attached to said first mentioned sheet.

2. In combination, a mop head comprising two strap members, said members having bent sections to provide a frame of predetermined shape for the head of a mop and being pivoted one to the other beyond their bent frame forming portions, said bent sections being arcuately movable about such pivot into a flat plane in one position and to a narrow V-shaped device in another position, the head in extended position defining the shape of mop to be used thereon, and a mop for use therewith comprising a sheet of flexible material substantially coextensive with thearea of the plane of said head when in extended position, a second sheet of the same area as the first and having a slit centrally thereof but extending not entirely across said sheet to form an openingto receive said head when folded into a V-shaped position, and thrums attached to said first mentioned sheet, the first and second sheets of material being joined together at their edges to provide pockets the interior of which engage the top and bottom of the strap members over their entire periphery.

JOHN GLOVER. 

